Transcript Highlights:

• E-Verify is a free, web-based system operated by the U.S.
• The E-Verify system is free and user-friendly.
• When I set up my E-Verify system as an employer, it lumped in all the different entities that I have,
• This bill just says, here, file it on the system. If they're illegal, don't hire them.
• If they've broken the law, they've fallen into the system somewhere. They are living within a zone.

Summary: The House convened with 63 members present, approved the journal, and received Senate and governor messages, including enrolled House Bills 533, 502, 555 and several Senate bills for first reading. Standing committee reports advanced a number of bills, including House Bills 713, 723, 664, 667, 716, 650, and 717, and introduced a large slate of new House and Senate bills covering health care, taxation, education, public safety, alcohol regulation, tribal water rights, and other topics. In Committee of the Whole, members amended and advanced several bills. House Bill 570 on reckless driving was amended to clarify language about children and construction zones and reported back with amendments and without recommendation. House Bill 561 on flags was amended to add the Basque autonomous community flag and to prohibit certain political, religious, or ideological flags on government property; it was also reported back with amendments and without recommendation. House Bills 692, 575, and 562 were each amended with mostly clarifying changes and reported back with amendments and without recommendation. House Bills 530, 627, 598, and 673 were held in committee with progress reported and leave to sit again. The House then considered House Bill 704, which would require employers to use E-Verify to screen new hires for work authorization. Debate focused on immigration enforcement, labor shortages, agriculture, constitutional concerns, and whether the bill would burden businesses or displace workers. After extended debate, the House passed HB 704 by a vote of 43-26 with one absent and excused. House Bill 700, a related E-Verify measure with criminal penalties and broader application, also drew extensive debate on constitutionality, existing employees, labor impacts, and immigration policy; it passed 36-33 with one abstention and one excused. The House then adopted committee reports, held the remaining third-reading bills until Monday, received administrative rules letters, made announcements, and adjourned until March 2, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• system uh for employees<00:07:33.120><c> in</c><00:07:33.360><c> the</c><00:07:33.520><c> tier</c><00
• </c><00:08:28.080><c> Staff</c><00:08:28.400><c> are</c> the juvenile justice system.
• Staff are the juvenile justice system.
• They would prefer the security of a pension system. hear the feedback that I get from staff hear the
• And I think a Tier 3 or returning to a Tier 2 retirement system is a better deal because once we get

Keywords: 00:05 Call to Order and Roll Call 01:42 Department of Corrections 04:14 Department of Juvenile Justice 16:22 Kentucky Law Enforcement Council 28:01 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The committee heard budget-related testimony from the Department of Corrections on a request for additional funding to take over operations of the Lee Adjustment Center, including $2.2 million in fiscal year 2027 and $5.2 million in fiscal year 2028. The witness said the governor’s budget did not recommend the request. Members asked about the cost savings of private operation versus state operation, the facility’s role in the department’s long-term goals, and whether the state intends to move toward operating all adult correctional facilities directly. The Department of Juvenile Justice then presented on staffing, recruitment, retention, and facility planning. Officials described recent pay increases and other investments, including a 10% security pay raise in 2021, an 8% state employee raise in 2022, higher youth worker starting salaries, and $4.8 million in 2023 funding to sustain salary increases. They said DJJ has also expanded mental health and medical staffing, improved recruitment efforts, and seen an upward trend in hiring. In response to questions, the commissioner said barriers to recruitment and retention include the Tier 3 retirement system, the structured and restrictive nature of detention work, and competition from other employers. He also said the department wants to move toward a regional model for female facilities under SB 162 and believes those facilities can be staffed. DJJ provided staffing figures showing 1,339 funded positions, with 157 filled and 182 vacant at a January benchmark, and 524 detention positions with 450 filled and 74 vacant. Officials said 30 correctional officers were in basic training and expected to join posts soon. Members also asked about the feasibility of staffing additional facilities and the department’s vacancy trends. Finally, the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council testified on a funding request for one attorney, one paralegal, one additional monitor, higher costs for existing monitor positions, and Lexington office rent. Officials said the request is needed to handle a growing decertification caseload and expanded oversight responsibilities as the number of academies has increased to about eight, with more than 2,100 instructors requiring biennial review. They said KLEC currently has one attorney and about 15 total staff, with roughly 180 cases pending, more than 50 complaints left to file, and another 30 cases expected soon. Members asked about current staffing, attorney salary, the number of academies, and the move to a separate Lexington office. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned without a quorum for approving minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• We need to help our court system out.
• The court systems, once again, they're going to have to be doing these reviews.
• The court systems, once again, they're going to have to be doing these reviews.
• , but the young people who are residents of our systems across the state.
• , but the young people that are residents of our systems across the state.

Summary: The Senate Human Services Committee first held a public hearing on the gubernatorial appointment of Angela Ramirez to serve as Secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services. Ramirez described her background in public service and said her priorities would include improving technology, addressing workforce shortages, strengthening relationships with labor, tribes, and community organizations, and protecting DSHS programs and clients during uncertain budget and federal conditions. Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck also spoke in support of her confirmation, and members raised questions about needed improvements at DSHS. The committee then moved into executive session on six bills. On SB 6062, dealing with juvenile rehabilitation, midpoint reviews, bed capacity, and transfers between DCYF and DOC facilities, all six proposed Christian amendments failed and the committee advanced the Wilson substitute to Ways and Means. On SB 6308, concerning shelter care conditions for children under five in dependency cases, the committee rejected four Christian amendments and adopted a Wilson amendment clarifying that the bill does not supersede the Washington Indian Child Welfare Act; the bill then advanced to Ways and Means. On SB 6319, addressing community-based referrals for high-risk families with children under four and parental opioid use, the committee rejected three Christian amendments and adopted a technical Wilson amendment; the substitute then advanced to Ways and Means. The committee also considered SB 6286, which would authorize Department of Health inspections of private detention facilities and create a repair account funded by fines for inspection violations. All Christian amendments and one Warnick amendment failed, and the proposed substitute was advanced to Ways and Means. On SB 6080, regarding contracts and conditions for jails holding people in federal custody, all Christian amendments failed and the substitute was advanced to Rules. Finally, on SB 6184, an agency-request bill making technical and program updates, the committee adopted the bill with one amendment and sent it forward subject to signatures. The committee recessed partway through the agenda, returned to vote on the first six bills, and announced that remaining bills and the gubernatorial appointment would be taken up the next day.

Transcript Highlights:

• >> So yes, ma'am, I Florida market place is is where is our procurement system on?
• So let's DHS and the competitively procured a large it system.
• Agencies have to move systems to the cloud. We know which systems are to be moved.
• We have this fleet management system that does not talk to any of them. Right?
• There should be a global overview to make sure that one system doesn't contradict another system.

Transcript Highlights:

• Districts did not design a financial system meant for a professional role.
• Districts did not design a financial system meant for a professional role.
• So how has the current system failed? So coaching was assumed to be a seasonal task...
• Systems and broken institutions taking advantage of some of its most vulnerable.
• The system is broken. We need to try to fix that.

Summary: The Education Pre-K through 12 Committee heard a presentation from Florida High School Athletic Association Executive Director Craig Damon, joined by student athletes Sydney Daniel and Taylor White. The students spoke about the value of education-based athletics, leadership, and the need for safe, equitable opportunities. Damon then discussed FHSAA issues including rising sportsmanship problems, ejections, violent incidents, recruiting allegations, transfers, mental health pressures on student athletes, and the need for qualified coaches. He said the association tries to be proactive, work with schools on discipline, and emphasize that school changes should be for academic reasons rather than athletics. Senators asked about mental health, transfer rules, and a recent Jacksonville incident; Damon explained the current transfer exceptions and said the association lacked authority over the Jacksonville football game because the schools were not in FHSAA football. The committee then heard a panel on high school coaches’ compensation led by Florida Coaches Coalition Executive Director Dr. Andrew Ramgett, with Coach Mike Hickman, Coach Charlie Ward, and superintendents from Okaloosa and Walton counties. Ramgett argued that coaching supplements are outdated, have not kept pace with the expanding year-round demands of coaching, and amount to very low hourly pay in many sports. He also said Florida’s restrictions on booster club funding and minimal certification requirements contribute to turnover and difficulty retaining qualified coaches. Hickman and Ward described coaching as a demanding, year-round profession that affects students beyond athletics, including academics and mental health. The superintendents said they value coaches but must balance compensation against limited district funds and other staffing needs; one noted Walton County uses a dedicated administrative lane for football coaching and athletic administration. Senators discussed whether booster club funding should be allowed, whether compensation should be tied to performance, and whether any increase in base student allocation would actually reach coaches. Public commenters, including Florida Athletic Coaches Association Executive Director Shelton Cruz and former coach Tyrone McGriff, urged support for coaches and emphasized their broader impact on students’ lives and school safety. At the end of the meeting, the committee took up confirmation hearings for appointments on tabs 3 through 6 and, with no appearance forms filed, voted unanimously to recommend confirmation. Senator Burgess then moved to adjourn, and the committee concluded the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Or is it something that you believe is simply inherent in the system and we can't do much about?
• Districts did not design a financial system meant for a professional role.
• So how has the current system failed? So coaching was assumed to be a seasonal task...
• . systems and broken institutions taking advantage of some of its most vulnerable.
• The system is broken. We need to try to fix that.

Summary: The committee heard a presentation from Florida High School Athletic Association Executive Director Craig Damon, joined by student athletes Sydney Daniel and Taylor White, on current issues in high school sports. Damon said the association received more than 309 allegations this year, including 113 recruiting complaints, but only two coaches were suspended for recruiting violations, and those were self-reported. He focused on rising sportsmanship problems, violent incidents, and ejections, saying the association is working with coaches and athletic administrators on prevention and positive-behavior campaigns. He also discussed mental health pressures on student athletes, the effects of frequent transfers and school choice on team stability and community pride, and the need for more qualified coaches on campus who understand interscholastic rules and student support responsibilities. Senators asked about the transfer system, violent conduct, and whether the association would propose changes; Damon said he would support guardrails that protect school choice while limiting midseason athletic transfers. The committee then took up a panel on high school coaches’ compensation led by Florida Coaches Coalition Executive Director Dr. Andrew Ramgett, with Coach Mike Hickman, Coach Charlie Ward, and superintendents from Okaloosa and Walton counties. Ramgett argued that coaching supplements are outdated, often amounting to very low hourly pay despite year-round duties, and said Florida’s system has not kept pace with increased responsibilities, inflation, or neighboring states. He also criticized restrictions on booster-club support, minimal coaching certification requirements, and turnover among coaches, and urged changes that would allow coaches to negotiate fairer compensation and receive external funding. Hickman and Ward emphasized the long hours, family strain, and mentoring role of coaches, while the superintendents said districts face finite budgets and must balance coach pay against teacher, bus driver, and other staffing needs; they also warned that booster-funded pay could create inequities between wealthy and less affluent communities. Senators discussed whether booster-club funding should be allowed, whether compensation should vary by performance, and whether any new funding should be categorical. Public comment followed from Florida Athletic Coaches Association Executive Director Shelton Cruz and former coach Tyrone McGriff, both of whom stressed the broader educational and safety impact of coaches and asked lawmakers to support the next generation of coaches. After the presentations, the committee took up confirmation hearings for appointments on tabs 3 through 6 and, by a single roll-call vote, recommended all appointees favorably. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're faced with systemic losses of personnel constantly.
• Documents related to algorithms that are going to go into a red flag system.
• It erodes faith in every officer, every department, and in the justice system itself.
• We have these early warning systems. Dallas can't have it right now.
• Prior to that, this is the system worked perfectly, um, and it was fair.

Bills: SB 15

Keywords: law enforcement, department file, employee records, misconduct, confidentiality, Texas occupations code

Transcript Highlights:

• There are expanded capabilities of that system that we are currently looking into.
• We've taken proactive measures to address safety concerns throughout the system.
• Serious crimes remain infrequent on the transit system.
• And our customers on the system are noticing the difference.
• Using detailed responses and collaboration to be visible on the system, to help people get connected

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• However, as we began to work on this, along with Tanya, we uncovered other serious gaps in the system
• The LAO and FCMAT made several recommendations on how to enhance our systems to that end.
• The only piece I would push back a little bit on is the hybrid education system.
• School funding system is more equitable no matter where a student attends school.
• And the legislature came up with a system that did that.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Unfortunately, the present system does not allow that.
• In contrast to the current system, switching to this technology system could help... ...and mitigate
• Blockchain systems are distributed ledger systems that replicate all of the data across every node in
• This reduces fraud and increases trust in the system.
• Pardon me, conventional battery systems, not geothermal systems, not water stored behind a dam.

Bills: HB111

Keywords: 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• public comments submitted through the portal will be posted on the electronic Legislative Information System
• This practice effectively creates a system where all students' tuition dollars are used to subsidize
• Yes, that would be an institutional decision that each institution and system board of regents could
• Um, our understanding of biological systems have come a long way since I studied biology in Stanford
• This bill will support farmers, improve public health, and protect the future of our food systems.

Transcript Highlights:

• Electricians across our state work tirelessly to ensure that safe code compliant systems are in place
• Electricians administrative rules states the design of electrical systems are to be done by a licensed
• We want systems where we have orderly parking and where people pay for parking.
• Um, it is not, there, there could be cost for the state to essentially onboard to the new system.
• They're not paying to build it, but the two systems need to talk to one another.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:43:20.160><c> system</c><00:43:20.400><c> that's</c> rating improvement system that's rating
• Um to ensure the an intercom system.
• . system. system.
• We do student support systems.
• I need a motion to adjourn. system? And what about an employee who's system?

Keywords: Call to Order and Roll Call – 0:00:04 Approval of Minutes – 0:03:57 United Way of Southern Kentucky –0:04:30 Preschool Education – 0:36:46 School Safety Updates – 1:01:41 Kentucky Association of School Superintendents – 1:41:47 Educational Cooperatives – 1:55:18 Adjournment – 2:07:37, 958, all

Summary: The committee opened its sixth meeting of the 2025 Interim Joint Committee on Education, confirmed a quorum, recorded attendance votes, and approved the minutes. Chair Lewis reminded presenters to keep remarks brief because of the full agenda and limited time. The first presentation was from United Way of Southern Kentucky, with Anne Puckett, Craig Browning, and Warren County Schools Superintendent Rob Clayton introducing a regional early childhood initiative. The presenters argued that kindergarten readiness and early childhood support are critical to later academic and life outcomes. They cited research and statistics about brain development in the first five years, the effects of unprepared kindergarten entry, and links between low literacy, school discipline, dropout rates, and incarceration. They said their region’s readiness scores fell during COVID and after a tornado, and that the most effective response was in-home parent education to help families support children from birth to age five. They described the model as voluntary, community-based, and not requiring new buildings, and said similar programs have been successful in Missouri. The group said it had already raised more than $1 million in private donations and committed three years of funding for four additional staff, expanding service in Allen, Logan, and Warren counties. They requested $600,000 per year for the next two-year budget cycle to add 12 more educators, serve about 360 families and 660 additional children, and build evidence for a possible statewide model. Members generally expressed support for the concept, with Representative Tipton and Representative Jackson discussing a prior home-based preschool pilot and the importance of starting early. Representative Calloway questioned whether increased family chaos and government involvement justified the approach; presenters responded that the program uses community educators, not a government-run organization, and is aimed at helping overwhelmed families. Representative Stalker asked about eligibility and early intervention, and presenters said the program serves children from birth to age five and can help identify needs early enough to connect families with services such as First Steps.

Transcript Highlights:

• It is the county-run health system.
• And Paul is Memorial, or is Methodist health system, right?
• And Paul is Memorial, or is Methodist health system, right?
• Health care system.
• With further erosion, there's collapse of that economic system.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We think, between our payment system, there's currently not an automatic notification system as part
• there's currently not an system there's currently not an automatic<00:28:50.600><c> notification</c>
• <00:28:51.640><c> system</c><00:28:52.640><c> as</c><00:28:52.840><c> part</c><00:28:53.000><c> of</c
• > automatic notification system as part of automatic notification system as part of that<00:28:53.399
• </c><00:47:52.440><c> would</c> notification possible the system would notification possible the system

Bills: HF1234, HF1956, HF1025, HF1172, HF791

Keywords: payment transparency, public contracts, contractor rights, government accountability, construction payments, municipal finance, liquor store, audit requirements, state auditor, local government, historic flag, state flag, display standards, ceremonial, Minnesota Statutes, Ursa Minor, state symbol, Minnesota state laws, constellation, official state designation

Transcript Highlights:

• The only issue is that these systems hallucinate.
• Sometimes it's referred to as thinking fast and thinking slow, system one versus system two.
• And you can construct an algorithm toward system one or system two, toward what you observe people doing
• You know, if you look at Open AI's products, you can do systems.
• This is the first component of a very wide-ranging systemic issue.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• are always a big human service systems are always a big target<00:07:26.120><c> when</c><00:07:26.240
• </c><00:07:38.200><c> and</c> rate system and rate system and this<00:07:39.680><c> was</c><00:07:40.560
• as it was, the competitive DWRS system as it was, the competitive workforce<00:07:46.600><c> factor<
• for our long-term care nursing home system to the value-based reimbursement system.
• to the value-based reimbursement system to the value-based reimbursement system. system. system.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• The first area of focus is the alignment of the education and workforce systems.
• So systems alignment is happening in California due to these champions.
• So systems alignment is happening in California due to these champions.
• Systems change that outlasts any single short-term grant.
• Systems change that outlasts any single short-term grant.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It is woven in the very fabric of our society, manifesting as systemic discrimination and injustices
• Hate, they've been key partners in our work to build critically needed networks and systems, which I
• Investment in our health care system will also help prevent critical care from collapsing.
• Investment in our health care system will also help prevent critical care from collapsing.
• And I know there's a systemic culture, as you saw upon the time today, about L.A.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• This is another step in improving the state's foster care system.
• It's not a perfect system. It's never going to be. I truly believe we try.
• She’s tired of the system.
• They protect those whose immune systems simply cannot respond to vaccines.
• , and it will add cost to the health care system.

Keywords: 989, all